Brown water occurs when normal sediments in the water lines become agitated. Agitation can occur when the lines are turned off for repairs or when a line breaks. The brown color is from iron (rust) particles that come off the pipes with age. Although it is undesirable, the water is safe to drink. The color can stain white clothes in the washing machine. Try to eliminate the brown color by running your cold water for 15 to 20 minutes (run from an outside faucet). If the color does not go away, contact line maintenance and they will send a worker out to flush the brown water out of the lines at a nearby fire hydrant.